This invention is generally related to a method for purifying a gas. More specifically, this invention is related to a method for purifying and recycling argon.
Argon is employed in various processes wherein its chemically inert nature, specific physical properties, and a cost that is low relative to those of other noble gases make its use particularly advantageous. For example, argon is used as a blanketing or purge gas, as a heat transfer medium, for degassing of reactive impurities in various metal processes operations, for the atomizing molten steel into the fine powder, and for the production of optical fiber related products.
While argon is present in air at a much higher concentration than those of the other noble gases, and considerable volumes of argon are available as byproduct of oxygen and nitrogen by air separation, the cost of argon still provides significant incentive toward maximizing recycle usage. Therefore, systems have been commercially implemented to conserve argon by means of pressure, equalization between vessels, recompression and recycle, generally with particulate separation.
Argon inerting streams become contaminated with impurities during processing. These impurities generally prevent the inerting stream from being reused. Purifying the rich argon streams will allow for the reclamation of the argon. Certain inerting environments found in processing such as silicon crystal pulling and fiber optic production contains impurities such as nitrogen, oxygen, water, carbon dioxide, carbon tetrafluoride and chlorine. Because a large volume of argon is used (leading to a corresponding high cost for its use), it is desirable to minimize the amount of argon gas used or develop ways to remove the impurities from such stream, thus recycling the argon gas.
A number of prior art exists relating to the purification of gases, including argon. However, none of the prior art is believed to exist that removes the selected impurities as found in the present invention from an argon rich stream.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,674 discloses two embodiments for recycling impure argon effluent from a silicon crystal furnace using cryogenics. Both of these embodiments use catalytic treatments and adsorption in conjunction with their cryogenic process steps to produce a pure argon recycle stream.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,237 purifies an argon waste gas by adding a stoichiometrically excess amount of oxygen to the waste gas composition to combust hydrogen and like impurities, and to convert into water and carbon dioxide, adding a stoichiometrically excess amount of a hydrocarbon gas to the resulting gas composition to remove the residual oxygen, and subjecting the resulting gas composition to a pressure swing adsorption-desorption treatment to remove impurities.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,783,162 discloses a three process steps for recovering and purifying argon gas. The steps includes reacting impure argon gas with hydrogen, introducing the impure argon gas into an adsorption unit, and subjecting the impure argon gas to a low temperature liquefaction and introducing the liquefied argon into a rectification unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,869 discloses purifying an argon gas stream by drying the gas stream with a desiccant, oxidizing the hydrogen and carbon dioxide to water vapor and carbon dioxide by contact with oxidizing catalysts in the presence of excess oxygen, removing the water vapor and carbon dioxide from the gas stream by adsorption, removing excess oxygen by chemisorption at elevated temperature and removing nitrogen and methane by adsorption at cryogenic temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,909 discloses a process for purifying argon by adding air or oxygen to the argon to oxidize the carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide in the presence of a catalyst, adding hydrogen into the argon and reacting the oxygen with the hydrogen in the water in the presence of a catalyst, removing the carbon dioxide and water by adsorbent, and distilling the argon.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,447 discloses recovering argon from a feed mixture comprising passing the feed mixture through a pressure swing adsorption system, and then passing the argon fraction to a cryogenic fractional distillation system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,542 discloses recovering argon from a tail gas stream by introducing the argon gas that is partially liquefied and introduced into a first fractional distillation column, and then introducing said resulting product from the first fractional distillation into a second fractional distillation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,352 discloses a high yield argon recovering argon from an ammonium synthesis plant purge gas by separating ammonia by adsorption, separating methane and nitrogen by pressure swing adsorption, separating hydrogen for recycle to the ammonia synthesis plant by high pressure distillation or membrane separator, and separation by cryogenic distillation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,925 discloses a process for recovering argon from a gas mixture by treating said mixture in a pressure swing adsorption system, followed by treating through cryogenic distillation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,062 discloses recovering argon from an ammonia synthesis plant by separating ammonia via adsorption, separating by pressure swing adsorbent, separating by cryogenic distillation column.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,498 discloses recovering argon from an ammonia synthesis plant purge gas, which comprises separation by a pressure swing adsorption system, separation by a second membrane separator and separation by cryogenic distillation.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,125,934 and 5,220,797 discloses recovering argon from a feed mixture comprising purifying the feed mixture, compressing the feed mixture, passing the compressed purified mixture to a pressure swing adsorption system, and distilling the feed mixture in a cryogenic fractional distillation system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,399 discloses an argon purification system comprising an ambient temperature molecular sieve adsorption step, an ambient temperature chemisorption step, and a cryogenic temperature adsorption step, particularly useful with liquefaction of the purified argon.
None of the prior art is believed to teach or suggest the removal of the specific contaminants from an argon stream nor the sequential steps as provided herein for removing the contaminants.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a process for purifying and recycling argon by removing selected contaminants from an argon-rich stream.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a process for purifying and recycling argon stream that takes less energy and capital than conventional argon separation processes from air.
This invention is directed to methods for purifying argon from an impure argon stream.
If the oxygen concentration in the impure argon is less than about 10 mole percent of oxygen, the invention is proceeded in the sequential steps of a) removing chlorine from the impure argon stream; b) adding hydrogen to the impure argon stream; c) removing carbon dioxide and water from the impure argon stream; d) removing hydrogen from the impure argon stream; and e) removing nitrogen from the impure argon stream to form a purified argon stream.
If the oxygen concentration in the impure argon is greater than about 10 mole percent of oxygen, the method comprises the sequential steps of a) removing chlorine from the impure argon stream; b) removing carbon dioxide and water from the impure argon stream; c) removing nitrogen and oxygen from the impure argon stream; d) adding hydrogen to the impure argon stream; e) removing water from the impure argon stream; f) removing hydrogen from the impure argon stream; and g) removing nitrogen from the impure argon stream to form a purified stream.
Optionally, the hydrogen may be recycled in the purification steps, and the resulting argon may be recycled after processing.
More specific embodiments are provided. For example, this invention provides a method for purifying an impure argon stream containing less than about 10 molar percent of oxygen to produce argon comprising the sequential steps of a) passing impure argon to a chlorine adsorbent means to remove chlorine; b) passing the resulting impure argon to a deoxo means in the presence of hydrogen to convert free oxygen to water; c) passing the resulting impure argon to a purifier means to remove water, carbon dioxide and carbon tetrafluoride; d) passing the resulting impure argon to a distillation column to remove nitrogen and hydrogen to produce purified argon.
Also, this invention provides a method for purifying an impure argon stream containing greater than about 10 molar percent oxygen to produce argon comprising the sequential steps of a) passing impure argon to a chlorine adsorbent means to remove chlorine; b) passing the resulting argon to a purifier means to remove water, carbon dioxide and carbon tetrafluoride; c) passing the resulting impure argon to a column to remove most hydrogen, argon and nitrogen; d) passing the resulting impure argon to a deoxo means in the presence of hydrogen to remove free oxygen by producing water; e) passing the resulting impure argon to a purifier means to remove water; and f) passing the resulting impure argon to a column to remove nitrogen and produce purified argon.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cadsorbent meansxe2x80x9d refers to either a single bed or a serial arrangement of two beds. The inlet end of a single bed system is the inlet end of the two bed system (arranged in series) and the inlet of the first bed in the system. The outlet end of a single bed system is the outlet end of the single bed and the outlet end of the two bed system is the outlet end of the second bed in the system. The adsorbent may be chosen from a number of materials including activated carbon, silica gel and zeolite molecular sieves (including type 13X). However, the choice of molecular sieves and adsorbent materials are known in the art, and are contemplated in the present invention.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cdeoxo meansxe2x80x9d refers to any means for removing oxygen. One method used herein is to mix oxygen with hydrogen to produce water, and then to remove the water. There are a number of methods to remove oxygen, and the present invention contemplates the use of other such alternatives for oxygen removal.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cpurifierxe2x80x9d refers to any means to purify gas by selectively separating a gas from a mixture producing a resulting gas substantially free from the selected gases.